SAN ANTONIO — Keon Lewis scored a game-high 25 points, but Charlotte shot 54.9 percent to claim an 89-81 win over UTSA on Saturday afternoon at the Convocation Center.
Lewis went 10-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-4 from behind the arc, to go along with a pair of free throws to lead the Roadrunners (13-11, 7-6 C-USA), who saw their three-game winning streak come to an end. Jeromie Hill added 19 points, while Ryan Bowie picked up his second double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. In addition, Larry Lewis Jr. came off the bench to score 10 points.
UTSA shot 45 percent in the contest and held a 36-27 rebounding advantage.
Meanwhile, Torin Dorn and Terrence Williams paced the 49ers (11-14, 4-8 C-USA) with 22 and 21 points, respectively. Mike Thorne Jr. came off the bench to add 15 points and nine rebounds, while Braxton Ogbueze chipped in 10 points.
Charlotte went 9-of-16 from behind the arc and hit 24 of its 28 free throws.
Both teams started the contest hot from the field and the 49ers would stay that way, as the visitors hit their first five shots and connected at a 57.7 percent clip in the opening half.
Hill led UTSA in the early going with 12 points in the game’s first eight minutes. The senior connected on a basket inside before back-to-back 3-pointers. He drained a jumper and got another bucket inside to give the Roadrunners a 21-19 lead.
Lewis, who also had 12 points in the first half, drained one of his two 3-pointers to give UTSA a 30-28 lead before the 49ers went on an 8-0 run and they would not trail again.
Bowie cut into the deficit with a pair of free throws and Lewis drilled another triple to pull UTSA within 42-39 at halftime.
The 49ers opened the second half on a 12-5 run to extend the lead to 54-44 with 16:18 to play.
The deficit grew to as much as 16 after a pair of free throws from Pierria Henry, who also finished with eight assists, 72-56, before the Roadrunners began to mount a comeback.
Dorn’s dunk with 2:45 remaining pushed the Charlotte lead back to double digits, 84-74. Lewis Jr. drove inside for a basket while being fouled. He converted the free throw and Keon Lewis’ layup quickly trimmed the deficit to 84-79.
Phillip Jones’ layup with just 53 seconds left pulled UTSA within 85-81, but it would get no closer.
However, the 49ers put the game away with four free throws in the final 44 seconds to secure their first road win in a month.
UTSA will start a three-game road stretch with an 8 p.m. (CT) matchup on Saturday, Feb. 21 at UTEP (17-7 9-3 C-USA).